Federer, Oudin reach quarters
New York, September 8
America’s newest heroine, Melanie Oudin,
continued her dream-like run at the U.S. Open with another shocking upset on Monday while steely top seed Roger Federer forged closer to his 16th grand slam crown.

Roger Federer hits a return to Tommy Robredo during their match at the U.S. Open in New York on
Monday and Melanie Oudin celebrates her victory against Nadia Petrova on Monday.
— Reuters /AFP

Paes, Bhupathi in semis
Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi are heading towards a possible final showdown in both mixed as well as men’s doubles event of the US Open after winning their respective matches here. Bhupathi and his American partner Liezel Huber, top seed, cruised to the semifinals of the mixed doubles following their emphatic 6-4, 6-3 win over eighth seeds Bethanie Mattek of the US and Serbian Nenad Zimonjic.

Lanka begin on winning note
Colombo, September 8
Sri Lanka pulverised New Zealand by 97 runs while defending a modest total of 216 runs in the first cricket one-day international of the Compaq tri-series here today. Lasith Malinga wreaked ruin, taking four scalps after Thilan Samaraweera cracked his first one-day hundred to steer the hosts to 216 for seven.
Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga (R) celebrates the wicket of New Zealand’s Ian Butler in Colombo on Tuesday. — Reuters

England’s Wayne Rooney (L) and David Beckham during a training session in London Colney, north of London on Tuesday. England will play Croatia in a World Cup 2010
qualifying match at Wembley Stadium
on Wednesday. — Reuters

Air India Red win BCCI Corporate Trophy
Bangalore, September 8
Robin Uthappa cracked an unbeaten 157 and Yuvraj Singh took three crucial wickets as Air India Red clinched the BCCI Corporate Trophy, beating Air India Blue by 93 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here today. Put into bat, Air India Red first posted a challenging 284 for eight riding on Uthappa's blistering 148-ball innings and then shot out Air India Blue for a meagre 191 in 41.5 overs to win the ODI tournament.

Haryana scores over Punjab in sportsPrabhjot Singh
Chandigarh, September 8
While Punjab appears to be losing sports supremacy it enjoyed for the past several decades, its neighbour Haryana has been making rapid strides to emerge as the new sports arm of the country.

Davis Cup call for Yuki
New Delhi, September 8
His recent success on the ITF circuit today fetched teenage sensation Yuki Bhambri a place in the Indian Davis Cup squad for the crucial World Group play-off tie against South Africa scheduled September 18 to 20. Yuki replaced Sanam Singh, a reserve player for the tie against Chinese Taipei, in the squad which remained unchanged otherwise.

New York, September 8
America’s newest heroine, Melanie Oudin, continued her dream-like run at the U.S. Open with another shocking upset on Monday while steely top seed Roger Federer forged closer to his 16th grand slam crown.

“Mentally I’m staying in there with them the whole time, and I’m not giving up at all,” the 17 year-old Oudin said after reaching her first major quarterfinal with a 1-6, 7-6, 6-3 victory over Russian Nadia Petrova. “So if they’re going to beat me, they’re going to beat me, because I’m not going to go anywhere.”

After belting a forehand winner to close out the match, Oudin dropped her racket, raised her arms, and looked at the sky while nearly 24,000 at Arthur Ashe Stadium roared. On an unseasonably cool day at Flushing Meadows, the Russians concluded their worst grand slam performance in nearly a decade, while the U.S. men had their worst showing in New York since tennis turned professional in 1968.

Federer, however, was his usual brilliant self, blitzing 14th-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo, who was sent off bewildered after being on the receiving end of a 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 wallop.

“He was playing so good,” Robredo said of the five-times Open winner. “When he plays like this, it’s tough.”

Fourth seed Novak Djokovic had an easy time bouncing 15th seed Czech Radek Stepanek 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 and then delighted the crowd at sold-out Ashe Stadium by impersonating John McEnroe’s on-court quirks and fiery temper. He then called McEnroe out of the broadcast booth to good naturedly play a few points.

“It actually was quite funny and the crowd loved it,” said the Serb.

“That was the most important thing. And Johnny, of course, made a small favour coming down. It wasn’t easy playing in jeans and suit and collared shirt, but it was a lot of fun.”

Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki managed the day’s biggest upset when she toppled former champion and number six seed Svetlana Kuznetsova 2-6, 7-6, 7-6 to reach her first grand slam quarterfinal. The ninth seed will face Oudin in the quarters and the 19-year-old has no illusions about who will receive the crowd’s backing.

American John Isner’s 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 loss to 10th seed Fernando Verdasco marked the first time since 1968 that no American male advanced to the Open quarterfinals. “I didn’t really care,” the 24-year-old said Isner of his role carrying the U.S. hopes.

“I didn’t really think too much of it. I wanted to keep it going.”The story of the Open so far is the diminutive Oudin, whose never-say-die style of play and bubbly demeanour has made her the darling of Flushing Meadows.

Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi are heading towards a possible final showdown in both mixed as well as men’s doubles event of the US Open after winning their respective matches here. Bhupathi and his American partner Liezel Huber, top seed, cruised to the semifinals of the mixed doubles following their emphatic 6-4, 6-3 win over eighth seeds Bethanie Mattek of the US and Serbian Nenad Zimonjic.

However, second seeds Paes and Cara Black of Zimbabwe had to face a stiff resistance from seventh seeded Australian-Swede combination of Rennae Stubbs and Robert Lindstedt before prevailing over them 7-5, 3-6, 10-6 in their mixed doubles quarterfinal at Flushing Meadows, last night.
— Agencies

Colombo, September 8
Sri Lanka pulverised New Zealand by 97 runs while defending a modest total of 216 runs in the first cricket one-day international of the Compaq tri-series here today. Lasith Malinga wreaked ruin, taking four scalps after Thilan Samaraweera cracked his first one-day hundred to steer the hosts to 216 for seven.

Sri Lanka earned a bonus point for their comprehensive win, which was sealed with 13.5 overs to spare. Malinga ended all Kiwi hopes when he took three wickets in six balls in the 19th over, tilting the match in favour of his team at R Premadasa stadium. Malinga’s hostile spell came at a stage when the Black Caps were already struggling to overcome the early jolts after being reduced to seven for three inside first five overs.

Earlier, Samaraweera cracked his maiden one-day century and along with Anjello Mathews pulled Sri Lanka out of the pit with a 127-run partnership for the sixth wicket. The duo joined hands when the hosts were tottering at 69 for five at half-way mark. Samaraweera struck 10 boundaries in his 124-ball knock while Mathews helped himself with four boundaries during his 60-ball stay at the wicket.
— PTI

Bangalore, September 8
Robin Uthappa cracked an unbeaten 157 and Yuvraj Singh took three crucial wickets as Air India Red clinched the BCCI Corporate Trophy, beating Air India Blue by 93 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here today. Put into bat, Air India Red first posted a challenging 284 for eight riding on Uthappa's blistering 148-ball innings and then shot out Air India Blue for a meagre 191 in 41.5 overs to win the ODI tournament.

Air India Red skipper Yuvraj emerged the wrecker-in-chief as he took three crucial wickets, which included the prized scalps of Kaif (32) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (0) in consecutive balls. Reetinder Sodhi (11) was his third victim.

Chasing 285 to win, Air India Blue lost opener Manvinder Bisla (10) in the fourth over. Kaif and Chandan Madan forged a 74-run partnership to reach 86 in 15 overs. Madan stood tall amid the ruins scoring a defiant 85 in 126 balls. However, he could not save his team from defeat.
— PTI

Chandigarh, September 8
While Punjab appears to be losing sports supremacy it enjoyed for the past several decades, its neighbour Haryana has been making rapid strides to emerge as the new sports arm of the country.

National squads leaving the shores of the country for participation in major international sporting events, including the ongoing World Boxing Championship, have more athletes from Haryana than Punjab these days.

If Shahbad Markanda has come up as the new nursery of women hockey, it is Haryana that has been contributing mainly to the national wrestling and boxing squads.

Of late, Punjab has ignored sports. Even those athletes who won glory for the state in the last two editions of the National Games are yet to be honoured. State’s prestigious Maharaja Ranjit Singh award conferred upon outstanding sportsmen and women of the state have been held in abeyance for three years now.

Punjab sportsmen and women who won accolades in the last Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games and the 2008 Olympics are also yet to be felicitated. The only exception had been country’s first individual Olympic gold medal winner Abhinav Bindra.

Haryana, on the other hand not only honoured its own sportsmen and women, including boxer Vijendar Singh, Jatinder Kumar and Akhil Kumar besides wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, but also in a gesture of magnanimity felicitated shooter Abhinav Bindra, Delhi wrestler Sushil Kumar and Andhra’s badminton idol Saina Nehwal.

Only last month, Haryana not only honoured those Shahbad hockey girls who helped India win the Challenger Cup in Russia but also their coach Baldev Singh and conferred state’s highest Bhim Award upon six sports personalities.

So much so that Punjab has failed to organise its own state games since 1994 while Haryana, in spite of severe infighting over the control of the Haryana Olympic Association, had been holding its state games regularly and without a break.

To give a big boost to sports, the Haryana Government has raised quota for outstanding sportspersons from three to five per cent in government jobs. As a sequel to this raise in reservation limit, it has recruited eight sportspersons as DSP, four as Inspectors and 13 as Sub-Inspectors. Compared to that, sportspersons recruited earlier in the Punjab Police are facing reversion in ranks.

Haryana has also raised the award money for winners of Bhim Award from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh besides raising the diet money for state players to Rs 150 a day against Rs 120 a day given by Punjab.

Though Punjab has been making announcements about its new sports policy, Haryana has in place its new policy since the beginning of this year.

And the number of Haryana sportspersons and sports officials, including coaches, getting national awards like Arjuna, Dronacharya and Dhyan Chand has been on the rise, while Punjab is losing out on that front, too.

Plus Points

n
Haryana reserves 5 per cent jobs for sportsmen, while it’s 3 per cent in Punjab

n Diet allowance is Rs 150 per day in Haryana and Rs 120 in Punjab

n Haryana has announced its new sports policy

n 8 sportsmen have been recruited as DSPs in Haryana since 2008, but none in Punjab

Bangalore, September 8
Ace Indian cueist Pankaj Advani, who realised his dream of winning the World Billiards Championship, said here today that he had no plan to turn professional in snooker.

“I love billiards. It is very satisfying. I want to enjoy my game. I don’t want to play in England for nine months. My decision may disappoint those who want me to win professional snooker title too,” the 24-year-old local lad said.

He pulled off a stunning 2030-1253 win over nine-time winner Mike Russell of Qatar in the finals in Leeds, UK on Sunday to clinch the coveted trophy.

At Leeds, he was tested in all departments of the game as he was playing under different conditions, he said. “In this championship, I was tested in all departments and that’s what made this victory very special to me. First of all, we were playing in totally different conditions. In England conditions were quite different from rest of the world,” Advani said.

“To beat Mike in England is really huge and satisfying. I don’t have any words to express my feelings. He was unbeaten for so many years and has been the defending champion in the same tournament at the same venue on the same table for the past two years,” he added.

“On behalf of all the Indians, I congratulate Pankaj Advani on winning the World Professional Billiards Championship, the highest achievement in the game. Advani’s talent and determination epitomise the true spirit of sportsmanship,” the PM said in a statement here. Advani’s success would act as an inspiration for others, he added.
— PTI

New Delhi, September 8
His recent success on the ITF circuit today fetched teenage sensation Yuki Bhambri a place in the Indian Davis Cup squad for the crucial World Group play-off tie against South Africa scheduled September 18 to 20. Yuki replaced Sanam Singh, a reserve player for the tie against Chinese Taipei, in the squad which remained unchanged otherwise.

Somdev Devvarman, Rohan Bopanna, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi are the other members of the squad, announced by All India Tennis Association (AITA). SP Misra will continue as the non-playing captain while Nandan Bal will be coach of the team for the away tie. If India wins the tie, it will enter the World Group after a gap of 11 years.

India advanced to the play-off tie after Australia forfeited the final-round rubber to be held in Chennai on security grounds. “Bopanna has recovered from the injury, so we have retained him in the squad. Whether Yuki would make his debut will be decided by the captain only,” said one of the selectors.— PTI

Although Chandigarh was not on this year’s PGTI calendar, the swine flu threat at Pune forced the organisers to shift the venue at short notice. Thus Pune’s loss turned out to be Chandigarh’s gain.

In the absence of Kapurthala’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, who is playing in the $5-lakh Macau Open Asian Tour event, the challenge is wide open with two-time under-10 Asian Tour performer Gaurav Ghei heading the list.

Chandigarh’s challenge will be led by fifth ranked Harendra P Gupta, but Ranjit Singh, fresh from his runner-up performance in the Bangalore Open PGTI event in which he lost to Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh, is in top shape.

Other city golfers to look out for will be seasoned Harmeet Kahlon and big hitter Gurbaaz PS Mann.

PGTI director Padamjit Sandhu said he was happy to be in Chandigarh and thanked the Chandigarh Golf Club for hosting the tournament at such a short notice.

Golf club president Birinder Singh Gill said he was happy to be associated with the PGTI and said the greens were in top shape.

Gaurav Ghei said the players were delighted to play on the Chandigarh greens.

BRIEFLY

Davis Cup call for Yuki
New Delhi: His recent success on the ITF circuit on Tuesday fetched teenage sensation Yuki Bhambri a place in the Indian Davis Cup squad for the crucial World Group play-off tie against South Africa scheduled for September 18 to 20. Yuki replaced Sanam Singh, a reserve player for the tie against Chinese Taipei in the squad that remained unchanged otherwise. Somdev Devvarman, Rohan Bopanna, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi are the other members of the squad.
— PTI

Tiger Woods during the
fourth round of the Deutsche Bank Championship golf tournament in
Norton on Monday. — Reuters

Sehwag to lead Daredevils
MUMBAI: Recuperating from a shoulder surgery that ruled him out of the ongoing tri-series in Sri Lanka and the subsequent Champions Trophy, Virender Sehwag will lead Delhi Daredevils in next month’s Champions League, the organisers of the Twenty20 event announced on Tuesday. Announcing the final 15-player squads of 12 participating teams, Champions League Chairman Lalit Modi said it would be a conglomeration of international stars.
—PTI

Clerical error ‘fails’ Dhoni
RANCHI: He has redefined success in Indian cricket but Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s college results had ‘fail’ written against his name on Tuesday due to a “clerical error”. “It was a clerical error. The list has been removed immediately. When he did not give examination how can he fail?” the Principal, Nicholas Tete, said. Dhoni’s course is of five years and he can complete the semesters during that period, he added.
— PTI

Hero Honda CT sponsors
DUBAI: Two-wheeler manufacturers, Hero Honda are the latest addition to the list of sponsors for the ICC Champions Trophy 2009, scheduled to be held from September 22 to October 5 in South Africa. “We are delighted that Hero Honda has decided to come on board as a global partner for this prestigious event,” said ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat.
— PTI

Argentina to play Paraguay
MONTEVIDEO: Having succumbed to only their second home defeat in World Cup qualifying history against Brazil on Saturday, Argentina face a make-or-break trip to Paraguay on Wednesday. The 3-1 loss to Dunga’s side, who are now assured of a place at the 2010 finals in South Africa, left two-time world champions Argentina in the fourth and last automatic qualifying place in the South American standings. — AFP

Hockey India suspends camp
NEW DELHI: Hockey India announced here on Tuesday that it has suspended the coaching camp for boys under-18 at Bhopal as preliminary medical tests had confirmed that most of the 55 probables in the camp were overage. The boys were selected after trials conducted for 100 hopefuls, drawn from various hockey academies across the country, on September 3 and 4.
— TNS

Surjit
hockey tourney from Oct 23
JALANDHAR: The 26th Edition of the Indian Oil Servo Surjit Hockey Tournament would be held here at the local Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium, Burlton Park, from October 23 to 30. The Hockey India has approved the dates for this tournament. All top teams of the country along with a Pakistani team would take part in this tournament. The tournament will be played on league cum knock out basis.
— TNS

Flintoff irreplaceable: Broad
LONDON: Stuart Broad doesn’t want to replicate all rounder Andrew Flintoff in his life and is not even that keen on taking Flintoff’s place at No.7 in the Test team. “No one can replace Fred. It is important that I focus on my qualities and don’t try to be someone I’m not,” Broad said. “My aim is to become a good No 8. If the top six build a platform that allows me and Graeme Swann to come and play with freedom as we did at the Oval. I just want to be awkward to bowl at,” he said. — ANI